Planning a Family Camping Vacation

Have you ever packed for a camping trip and realized once you’ve arrived at your destination – that you’ve brought too much of one thing and forgotten to pack something else? It happens to everyone at one time or another.

Before we had children, my husband and I wouldn’t think twice about booking a tropical destination or cruise for our vacation. With economic times as trying as they are, we have opted for the most inexpensive option. In the beginning of 2008 we were a new family of four so we decided that for the upcoming years most or all of our vacations would be camping. We began our search for a trailer. After looking a while for the right one, we decided on a tent trailer.

From the start any observer could tell that we were amateur campers. Our first vacation, we admit was a bit too optimistic – we planned an elaborate three-week camping trip – around the interior of British Columbia. We over packed for the trip and we didn’t need three-quarters of the items we brought with us. Learning from our mistakes, we made up a checklist to make sure that everything runs smoothly during our trips.

1. Open it up and air it out
2. Check for any leaks
3. Check that the furnace & refrigerator is working

1. Dishes and cutlery
2. Pots and pans
3. Dish clothes & towels
4. Face clothes, towels and bathroom supplies
5. Games and activities for rainy days
6. Tool kit
7. Port-a-potty
8. A portable barbecue

The checklist is divided into three sections and includes:

1. Reserve your campsite in advance: most campsites take reservations a maximum of 3 months in advance
2. Clothes packing always include an extra days clothes
3. Bring 1 or two essential toys for the children
4. Additional blankets and bedding
5. Meals plans for the duration of the stay
6. Have a neighbor or family collect the mail and papers

1. The propane bottles are full
2. The battery is fully charged
3. The RV is securely fastened to the hauling vehicle
4. The brakes are properly hooked up and working

1. The house is locked and the alarm is set
2. The mail and newspapers have been removed from the front step
3. Garage and back yard gate are locked

A camping checklist should include a section for planning the trip, a section for packing for the trip and a vehicle pre-trip checklist and a section to ensure the home is secure. Referring to a checklist helps to make our trips more relaxing and stress free. We know what we have and if we have forgotten anything and we are ready to go.

Allison Atwater is a freelance writer from Surrey BC and lives with her husband and two young sons. She has a blog, ‘The Writing Mum’.